Spice mill



Aug. 9, 1949. J. M. THOMPSON ,4

' SPICE MILL Filed May 16, 1945 IN V EN TOR. 7'- John Mora-1 Tkom son W QM flat and bound by a top edge 21a at its juncture with the flat horizontal top surface 24a of turning unit body 24; the peripheral edge 21b, as seen in elevation, forms an angle as indicated by the dot-dash arc B with the flat horizontal top surface 24a of substantially 55; the inner edge of surface 21 forms an angle, as indicated by the dot-dash line C, with surface 24a of about 62. surfaces 28 are each parallel to diametrical planes of the cone of which the peripheral surfaces 25 of turning unit body 24 form a frustrurn,

each being bound by a top edge 28a at its juncture with top surface 24a of the body 24; peripheral edges 28b forms the juncture of surface 28' and peripheral surface 25 of unit 24, and the inner edge of surface 28, and the inner edge of surface 21 have the common junction 21a, which is fllleted so as to avoid the formation of pockets in which material may collect. The depth of the flute is such that the bottom of edge 28b just meets the bottom edge of turning unit 24. The outside surfaces 25 between the flutes serve as a hearing which rides on the surfaces 2| of the grinding unit I2.

The main body 24 of the turning unit 23 is integral with a long spindle 30 which may either be rounded or square. Said spindle 30 may also be a separate unit which maybe inserted into a hole or slot drilled into said body 24. A triangularly shaped lug 33 on the lower end 3| of the spindle 30 extends below the body 24 of the turning unit 23 in order that it may operatively engage and turn the multiple prongs 34 of the retainer bar 32. The retainer bar 32 is movable upon the lug toward or away from said grinding ring l2 and turning unit 23 as for example, in response to the adjustment of a nut 35 on the threaded end portions 36 of the spindle 30 and serves to hold the turning unit 23 under tension within the grinding ring [2 as well as wiping the lower edge of the grinding ring. The adjustment of said retainer bar 32 on the lug 33 regulates the tension and the degree to which the turning unit 23 is pulled into the grinding ring [2 and thus regulates the annular space between the turning unit and the grinding unit through which the ground kernels pass, thus controlling the various grades of grind.

In operation the space 35 between the upper portion of the spindle 30 and the retainer ring Ill serves as a storage unit for the whole kernels. As the turning unit 23 rotates, suflicient kernels to fill the large flutes 26 fall therein, and due to the funneling effect of the grooves l1 and the flutes 26, are forced downwardly until they are pressed against the cutting edges and the straight edge 18 where the kernels are broken into finer granules. The downward movement and disintegrating action continues until the material reaches the bottom of the slots at which point they are sufficiently reduced to pass through the annular space between the turning unit 23 and the grinding unit l2, as previously pointed out. The retainer bar 32 does not restrict the passage of processed material, as only the prongs extend to the grinding unit I 2. Other whole kernels can not enter the flute 26 until the former material has been practically expelled, thus eliminating the probabilities of a large amount of partially ground spices being left in the unit to dry out before the next operation. Thus only a small amount of material can be contained between the grinding surfaces, and, having once entered between the grinding surfaces, that material is 4 passed directly through without likelihood of reversion to the storage unit.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A grinding mill suitable for the reduction of small increments of spices or the like, comprising a retainer ring, the upper portion of which may serve as a container or storage space for the whole kernels, a grinding ring on the lower portion of the retainer ring, a frustrum shaped opening through the grinding ring, spaced grooves in the inner surface of the grinding ring having one side straight making asharp angle with the inside surface of the grinding ring with the other sides rounded and at an angle so that the grooves taper downwardly and terminate near the bottom edge of the grinding ring, a bearing surface between said grooves, a frustrum shaped body fitting exactly into said frustrum shaped opening in the grinding ring, flutes spaced in said body, the cone side of each flute being at an angle with the horizontal and the vertical and forming a downwardly and rearwardly inclined surface with the other side substantially parallel to the center line of the unit, said flutes extending downwardly to the edge of the frustrum, and a spindle extending through the body and having a driving connection therewith.

2. A grinding mill for spices or the like, comprising a frusto-conic rotary member, a stationary member having a frusto-conical aperture adapted to receive said rotary member in a manner disposing the end of smaller diameter in the base thereof, one or more cooperating vertically disposed cavities in the adjacent peripheral walls respectively of the rotary and stationary members adapted concomitantly to effect grinding and to direct downward flow to the spice kernels in response to turning movement of said rotary member, the adjacent peripheral walls intermediate said grooves operating as bearing surfaces, a spindle having a driving connection with said rotary member, a retainer member operatively engaging a depending portion of said spindle and abutting the base of said stationary member, and means for adjusting said retainer member relative to said rotary member.

JOHN M. THOMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 8,845 Taylor Aug. 12, 1879 250,432 Forster Dec. 6, 1881 320,877 Kaufield June 23, 1885 1,247,394 Gonsalves Nov. 20, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,663 Austria Mar. 15, 1901 6,804 Great Britain July 22, 1909 530,429 France Oct. 1, 1921 783,845 France Nov. 29, 1934 797,760 France Feb. 24, 1936 46,829 Germany Aug. 26, 1888 

